Cottage Cheese Zucchini Cheddar Protein Snack Squares

If you are looking for a simple snack that actually keeps you full, these cottage cheese zucchini cheddar protein snack squares are a great pick.

They are high protein, which makes them perfect for a quick bite between meals or an easy addition to lunch.

The cottage cheese is the real star here. Once you blend it smooth, it makes the squares soft and moist without any heavy feeling.

You also get a nice cheesy flavor from the cheddar and parmesan, plus a little freshness from the zucchini and green onions.

They come together in one bowl and bake in about half an hour. Easy enough for a regular weekday.

Why I Love This Recipe

Packed With Protein – Cottage cheese, eggs, and two kinds of cheese make every square a filling, protein-rich snack that keeps you satisfied for hours.

Soft and Cheesy Texture – The blended cottage cheese keeps these squares moist and tender while the melted cheddar adds a rich, gooey bite.

Sneaky Way to Eat Veggies – Shredded zucchini melts right into the batter, so you get extra veggies without any strong taste or mushy texture.

Big Savory Flavor – Sharp cheddar, parmesan, dill, and garlic team up to make each square taste bold and satisfying.

The Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups Cottage Cheese
• 3 Large Eggs
• 3/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
• 1/4 cup Yellow Cornmeal
• 1 cup Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• 1/4 cup Finely Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1 1/2 cups Finely Shredded Zucchini, Squeezed Dry
• 1/4 cup Sliced Green Onions
• 1 teaspoon Dried Dill
• 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Fine Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper

How to Make This Recipe

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375 F and line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper.

Step 2

Blend the cottage cheese and eggs until smooth and creamy.

Step 3

Whisk the flour, cornmeal, dill, garlic powder, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl.

Step 4

Stir the blended cottage cheese mixture into the dry ingredients. Fold in the zucchini, cheddar, parmesan, and green onions.

Step 5

Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the center is firm and the edges are golden.

Step 6

Cool the squares in the pan for at least 15 minutes before cutting them into snack-sized pieces.

Quick Tips

Squeeze the Zucchini Really Well

This is the most important step for these squares. Zucchini holds a ton of water, and if you leave it in, your squares will turn out soggy and wet in the middle.

After shredding, wrap the zucchini in a clean kitchen towel or a few layers of paper towel and squeeze hard over the sink. You want to get rid of as much liquid as you can.

From my experience, that 1 1/2 cups of shredded zucchini will shrink down quite a bit once the water is out, and that’s exactly what you want.

Blend the Cottage Cheese Until Fully Smooth

Don’t skip the blending step or rush it. Take the time to blend the cottage cheese and eggs until they’re completely smooth with no lumps left.

If you leave curds in, you’ll get little pockets of cottage cheese texture in the finished squares instead of that even, tender bite. A blender or food processor works best here.

This step is also what helps make these squares nice and protein packed, since the cottage cheese blends right into the batter and spreads through every piece.

Grate Your Own Cheddar

I recommend shredding the sharp cheddar yourself from a block instead of buying the pre-shredded bags.

The pre-shredded stuff is coated with starch to stop it from clumping, and that coating stops it from melting as smoothly. Freshly grated cheddar melts better and gives you that gooey, cheesy result.

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Quick Answers

What can I use instead of cornmeal?

The cornmeal adds a little bit of structure and a nice subtle texture, but if you don’t have any you can simply replace it with an equal amount of extra flour.

The squares will be a touch softer without it, but they will still hold together and taste great as a protein rich snack.